Carlos Ghosn: "I ran from injustice"

Former Head of Nissan Motor Co. Carlos Ghosn said he had fled Japan to save himself from "political persecution," accusing Japanese prosecutors and top executives of Nissan of conspiring against him.

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Ghosn spoke at a press conference in Beirut on Wednesday, calling himself a victim of the unfair Japanese system. "I did not run from justice. I ran from injustice and political persecution," he said.

The former head of Nissan, who was awaiting trial in Japan and was on his own recognizance, arrived in Lebanon on December 31. He flew from Japan to Turkey in a private plane, on board of which he was carried under the guise of baggage in the package as sound equipment, and in Istanbul he was transferred to another plane, which delivered him to Lebanon.

Carlos Ghosn was detained in Tokyo in November 2018 on charges of concealing income and spent almost four months in prison, complaining of harsh conditions of detention.

Nissan fired Ghosn from the post of chairman of the board of directors three days after his arrest, and in January 2019 he was forced to resign as chairman of the board of directors and chief executive officer of Renault.

In March last year, Ghosn was released on bail of $ 8.9 million. He denies the charges against him. According to Ghosn’s defense, his removal from the leadership of Nissan and Renault was dictated by the desire to prevent the deepening of the alliance between the two automakers, which Ghosn promoted, but which Japan did not want.

On the eve, Associated Press reported that the Tokyo prosecutor issued an arrest warrant for his wife Carole Ghosn. She is suspected of giving false evidence.